Turmeric Sunrise

If you are working from home and anything like me you've been wearing the same black leggings and a semi-presentable sweater for the past three days. Coffee turns into sleepy time tea and meal time is the most exciting part of the day. Well, this drink is designed to spice things up! It can fit any beverage need, morning, noon, or night and did I mention it tastes amazing?! This simple drink can be made in bulk and used whenever you'd like. It has three main ingredients are therapeutic and soothing.

Ingredient Highlights:

Turmeric has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory tonic. It has deep traditional uses in India and South Asia, however is now used across the globe. Most often it is found in a powdered form used for cooking but, the fresh root is equally as delicious and powerful. Turmeric is mostly used to reduce pain from inflammation, improve cognitive function, support liver detoxification, and support digestion.

Ginger is closely related to turmeric, however it has a completely different color and flavor! This root originated in China and has been used for thousands of years in alternative and traditional medicine practices to sooth nausea, support digestion, treat the common cold, and flu. Ginger can also be found in powdered and fresh forms. Personally, I find the fresh to be much more potent, flavor-wise.

Lemon, an all time favorite in my household. This citrus fruit is very high in vitamin C, which has incredible antioxidant activity in the body. Additionally, lemons contain phytochemical like hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin, which also act as antioxidants, can reduce inflammation, and may modulate the immune system.

Additionally, the Turmeric Sunrise contains black pepper, cinnamon, and raw honey. These additional ingredients enhance the benefits of this beverage and the flavor!

Black Pepper, in my opinion does not get enough credit. It sits on the table with salt and is only talked about for its flavor enhancing qualities. However, black pepper contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, may help to control blood sugar, and increase cognitive performance. Additionally, black pepper works synergistically with turmeric and enhances its absorption.

Cinnamon is hands down my favorite spice! Not only is it anti-inflammatory, it is able to balance blood sugar by supporting a proper insulin response. Additionally, it has been show to have antiviral properties and may help to reduce blood pressure. Personally, I use ground cinnamon in this recipe so the whole spice can be consumed but feel free to simmer with cinnamon sticks.

Raw honey is another traditional medicine powerhouse. It has been used to heal wounds, soothe sore throats, and support digestion. It contains amazing enzymes that support the proper absorption of nutrients additionally, the antibacterial and antifungal properties support a proper microbial balance in the gut. It even contains prebiotics to feed beneficial strains of bacteria!

As you can see, this drink contains some amazing ingredients designed to make you feel good! Please be mindful when preparing, ingredients like lemon and honey must be added last, once the beverage has cooled slightly. Heat can break down the vitamin C and damage the enzymes in honey.

So go ahead, whip this bad boy up and enjoy it however you'd like! Warm, cold with a splash of seltzer or ginger kombucha, or with some coconut water and a splash of tequila. The choice is yours!

Turmeric Sunrise

1 TBS freshly grated turmeric (1/2 tsp dried)

1 TBS freshly grated ginger (1/2 tsp dried)

1 lemon, juiced

2 cranks black pepper

2 shakes ground cinnamon

½ tsp raw honey

3 cups filtered water

Peel the turmeric and ginger with the back of a spoon. Grate on a microplane or smallest side of the grater. Place water, turmeric, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon in a small sauce pan, bring almost to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Place a mesh strainer over a 4-cup measuring cup. Remove saucepan from heat and pour the contents through the strainer into the measuring cup. Add honey, lemon juice, and more cinnamon if desired.